Oregon high school senior Alexa Anderson has accused a track meet official of ordering her and fellow athlete Reese Eckard to ‘get out of the photo’ after they refused to share the podium with a trans athlete at a state championship. The incident, which gained national attention, has sparked debates over trans inclusion in girls’ sports. Anderson, of Tigard High School, finished in third place in the high jump, while Eckard, of Sherwood High School, came in fourth, with the trans athlete taking fifth. The official allegedly told the athletes to move away from the medal stand during photo sessions, as Anderson recounted in an interview on Fox News’ ‘The Ingraham Angle.’
The controversy comes weeks after California officials allegedly ordered athletes to remove ‘Protect Girls Sports’ T-shirts at a postseason meet featuring a trans athlete. Anderson has previously expressed opposition to trans inclusion in girls’ sports through social media, stating that biological males competing against females ‘takes up space and opportunities’ from hardworking women. The incident is part of a broader trend, with trans athletes winning state titles in several states, prompting legal and policy discussions, including a Title IX discrimination complaint filed by the America First Policy Institute against Oregon. The Department of Justice has also imposed a deadline on California to revise its policy or face federal funding cuts, highlighting the escalating tensions over trans inclusion in high school sports.
America First Policy Institute, a nonpartisan research institute, filed a Title IX discrimination complaint against Oregon for allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports in May. The complaint, which was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, has already prompted Title IX investigations in California, Minnesota, Maine, and Massachusetts. The institute’s executive general counsel, Jessica Hart Steinmann, stated, ‘Every girl deserves a fair shot – on the field, on the podium, and in life.’ She emphasized that the state’s policies violate federal law and send a damaging message to female athletes nationwide.
Other states have also faced similar controversies. In Washington, a trans athlete at East Valley High School won the girls’ 400-meter 2A state title, leading to protests from Tumwater High School students who displayed a banner stating, ‘This is not a walk out (sic). We are not going anywhere.’ In Maine and Minnesota, girls’ postseason track and field meets saw trans athletes compete, further complicating the discussion on gender equity in sports. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who previously warned California against allowing trans athletes to compete in girls’ state title meets, continues to weigh in on the issue, as the Department of Justice enforces a deadline for policy changes.
Anderson’s case highlights the growing divide over trans inclusion in high school sports, with advocates for gender equity in athletics pushing for inclusive policies and those opposing such inclusion arguing for the protection of female athletes’ opportunities. The legal and political battles over this issue are intensifying, with national attention and potential funding ramifications affecting the outcomes of state policies on trans athletes’ participation in girls’ sports.